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Page No. : 49-52

ABSTRACT

Parasitological survey of 100 water samples in the Tarai region of Uttaranchal revealed 29% prevalence of various gastro-intestinal parasites. Various parasites found were Entamoeba histolytica (19%), Entamoeba coli (16%), Giardia lamblia (7%), Balantidium coli (7%), Ascaris lumbricoides (2%), Toxocara spp. (2%) and Capillaria spp. (1%). The river samples had the highest contamination (100%) followed by ponds (80%), overhead tanks (40%), taps (36%), hand pumps (28%), artisans (16.7%) and bottled waters (8.3%). The presence of these gastrointestinal parasites in the drinking water is alarming and the possibility of involvement of other domestic and wild animals coupled with free flying birds in the trans-mission of these parasitic infections to man can not be overruled.

Key words: Gastrointestinal parasites, Water, Zoonoses.